__________________God was a giant Queensland Blue Pumpkin. He was lonely and got bored so he blew himself up (aka the big bang) The pumpkin skin fragments became planets, the orange flesh vaporised into gasses and the seed fragments started life when conditions were right.

As a kid, you trust your elders to watch out for you, it's really hard to shake off, but very liberating.

There is good evolutionary reason why we tend to believe what our elders say. Our survival odds while young increase if we follow their advice. For example; 'don't go to that waterhole, that is where the lions are' or a modern day equivalent 'don't stick that knife in the toaster'. Unfortunately however this does also mean we tend to pick up their BS as well, not just religious beliefs.

Yes...for most of my life, I have avoided eating catfish because my father wrinkled his nose and always said they shouldn't be eaten, as they are "bottom feeders."

I recently tried catfish because they are very popular here, and found it to be a very tasty fish.

Sorry, Dad...

Err I think that is a biblical "thou shall not" thing about eating fish (sea food) that does not have scales. (or fins and scales)

It is somewhere in the 2300 absurdities listed by the Skeptics Annotated bible.

Anyway the Skeptics think it is an absurdity.

__________________God was a giant Queensland Blue Pumpkin. He was lonely and got bored so he blew himself up (aka the big bang) The pumpkin skin fragments became planets, the orange flesh vaporised into gasses and the seed fragments started life when conditions were right.

We tend to accept beliefs for our own fears, like death. They become terror management systems, that help us cope with 'Oh shit, I'm going to die one day'? We don't tend to be very alert to our reactionary thought of death, and soul beliefs are widely accepted, as it is lovely to think that our loved ones, and ourselves will meet in the afterlife one day. We still get to believe this or not. Don't we? That is a choice once we really bring this to the forefront of our minds. But do all of us meditate on this thought? Or why would we? Evidence is irrelevant when terror management is appeased with held beliefs. People with such beliefs will defensively guard themselves against those who oppose their beliefs. Until people question these beliefs, it is not by choice, but if not held up to scrutiny, no, we will believe it. Held by fear, which is innately held by our traits of being human. The problem with beliefs for those who attain them, is that science is impacting it. Not because of intent, but simply how science works. Pseudo science hates evidence! Religion loves pseudo science.
Having an open mind to our world view or our biases being exposed, can help us strip away our held beliefs. But being 'vulnerable' isnÂ’t easy. We want to survive. Our biological inheritance is hard to get around.